Cable Question

[BigNuge]

Hey guys, I have a question for all the electricians out there. I recent came upon a bunch of large cable after we wrapped up a job. I am trying to value the large stuff to figure out what I’m going to do with it.

If anyone out there knows the value of this stuff (per foot) then please let me know.








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[sberry]

Save it till scrap goes up.

 

[sberry]

I know a guy had the apprentice cuti wire in to pieces short enough to fit in lunch box every day, 3 1/2 years, bought a charter boat.

 

[Joelfke]

im no electrician but on wireandcableyourway.com 4/0,4/0,4/0,2/0 wire which is smaller than that, is going for $18 a foot.....

looks like it says 4 ground 4/0 wire but i could be completely wrong. id say its at LEAST $20 a foot

 

[BigNuge]

Yeah, this stuff is 4 #4 grounds, 4 0 gauge main conductors, all in machine SO style cord.


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[DHCrocks]

I gotta see the tool you used to cut that.

 

[shoeless]

Looks like someone used a sawzall.

 

[roc_on_the_rocks]

I gotta see the tool you used to cut that.

Standard hacksaw?

 

[Gummi Bear]

Bandsaw is how I’ve cut stuff like that.

Never installed any that big inside a building before, but used some similar to feed Jobsite trailers a few times from a temp board.





I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[finn]

It’s probably only worth scrap value.

Very few reputable electricians will risk using cable not sourced from a wholesale or retail supplier. Too much liability in buying from someone off the street with no traceability.

Surprised me when a professional electrician told me that, but I do understand it.

 

[SGKent]

first it would depend how much you have. having 20' of that isn't going to be something worth more than scrap. Having 300' of it you will need a pretty good sized truck to haul it and a good sized lift to pick up the spool. I agree that unless someone needs the length you have it is unlikely an electrician would work for three days with that to get it in only to find that someone accidentally drove a nail into it and it leaks water into the conductors once it is buried. Don't get arrested trying to sell it for scrap if someone reported it missing.

 

[BigNuge]

Lol, thanks for all the input guys. We bought this for a temp boiler installation (part of what I do for work). The wire was bought new for that job, and the job is now done. We own the wire, but have no use for it. We also got 120’ of 4 conductor #4 SOOW (I’m keeping that).

We cut it with a cordless bandsaw.

I never imagined an electrician would want this for a job, for all the reasons mentioned here. I have 80’ of it, no spool. The entire length looks brand new, not a nick in it. I have it laid out next to my barn now, easy inspection for anyone who wanted to inspect it closely. I’d offer it up see what comes of it. If there is no interest/doesn’t move I’ll buy a power wire stripper and get to work on it. Hundreds of pounds of clear copper here, I’d hold onto it till copper is back up.


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[Jim greengo]

It’s probably only worth scrap value.

Very few reputable electricians will risk using cable not sourced from a wholesale or retail supplier. Too much liability in buying from someone off the street with no traceability.

Surprised me when a professional electrician told me that, but I do understand it.

Exactly,that is worth nothing but scrap weight.
It would be worth a lot more cleaned.

 

[BigNuge]

Exactly,that is worth nothing but scrap weight.
It would be worth a lot more cleaned.

You’re misunderstanding me. I’m not asking what it’s worth as is, I’m asking what it’s worth new as if bought from a supply house, hence my asking for the opinion of electricians that work with this stuff.

Been buying and selling all sorts of $hit all my life, I understand that an electrician is not going to by this wire as is. I’m also aware that it’s likely best value to me just may be scrap, and that’s ok too. I’m simply asking for an electricians take on what this would cost at the counter.

I have a 3’ cutoff section that I can take to a supply house for a true value, I was just throwing it out here to see what a tradesman would say.


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[Bert_]

I keep some used cable around for temporary jobs. Would probably buy it used if the right thing came along.

A permanent install would always get new cable though.

 

[BigNuge]

I keep some used cable around for temporary jobs. Would probably buy it used if the right thing came along.

A permanent install would always get new cable though.

Agree with you 100%

This is a situation where if someone has a special need/project then they could pick this up for significantly less than new (hence why I’m asking about new value).

As far as a paid job, I’d never buy used anything for professional use.


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[Bert_]

As far as a paid job, I’d never buy used anything for professional use.


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This is exactly the situation I was talking about. Used cable would be fine if it's not a permanent install.

I have several rolls of wire I keep around for when someone wants power NOW but I don't have time to do it. Grain bin fans are a common one. It gets wired permanently either early winter or next spring.

Biggest cord I can find in my price book is 2/4 at about $8/ft.

 

[cybrdyke]

Appears to be 4/0-4 G-GC. Used to power big industrial or mining machines, like pumps. Maybe call a supply house and ask for a quote.
CD

 

[BigNuge]

Took the time to cut a 12” section of it, hand strip it, and bundle it (copper only).






I’d estimate it @ 5lbs of copper per ft.

It would be a damn shame to scrap this stuff....it’s all like new.


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[nadogail]

IMHO, that cable is worth only what a willing buyer will pay for it. If it is a length that is too short for a job it is worth scrap price.

Again IMHO, if it is not usable, it is scrap; unless a speculator is willing to pay for a "someday" future use.

 

[Paul_The_Builder]

The problem with cable like that, is that anyone who is going to use it will buy it from a supply house. No reasonable electrical company is going to scrounge craigslist for specialized cable for a job they're going to do, when they already have the money in their bid to buy it from a supplier.

Unless you find someone who wants that sort of cable to run power to their shop, or out to their 3 phase lathe or whathave you, I think you'll end up scrapping it.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

first it would depend how much you have. having 20' of that isn't going to be something worth more than scrap. Having 300' of it you will need a pretty good sized truck to haul it and a good sized lift to pick up the spool. I agree that unless someone needs the length you have it is unlikely an electrician would work for three days with that to get it in only to find that someone accidentally drove a nail into it and it leaks water into the conductors once it is buried. Don't get arrested trying to sell it for scrap if someone reported it missing.

That is SO cord and labeled as portable power cable. It would NOT be buried. Think of a diesel generator for temp power. This cable would be for powering up the spider boxes on the jobsite.

 

[cybrdyke]

The only people that I know of that use G-GC cable are mining companies to run pumps and generators, and large entertainment companies....the kind that put on outdoor concerts, festivals and fairs. They use them for their large generators.
CD

 

[alfredeneuman]

Took the time to cut a 12” section of it, hand strip it, and bundle it (copper only).
I’d estimate it @ 5lbs of copper per ft.

Stripped 4/0 copper weighs 640 pounds per thousand, so it's .64 pounds per foot X 4 conductors weighs 2.56lbs.

 

[Joelfke]

Word to the wise. If you do scrap it be prepared to have the police at your door. Most scrap yards are going to call that in if its a large amount of copper like that.

 

[kaffine]

Too bad your not closer I could use it for an extension cord.

 

[BigNuge]

Ok, so I got a small scale and weighed it. It’s just over 3lbs for that 12” section.

I agree that this is not very useful for a common person/home use. Not sure if this is very marketable on CL or Marketplace. I’m going to think about it for a bit. If I don’t come up with a viable plan for selling it whole I’ll cut it up in 10’ lengths and store it until copper prices come back up.


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[BigNuge]

Word to the wise. If you do scrap it be prepared to have the police at your door. Most scrap yards are going to call that in if its a large amount of copper like that.

Lol, no worries there. Many friends in law enforcement, they will get a good laugh out fo being called to my place for copper theft lol.

Also, you’re over estimating the ethics of scrap yards. I haven’t been there too many times, but every single one of them (except for the one doling out the cash) is one step out of the rehab clinic and/or jail.


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[Joelfke]

Lol, no worries there. Many friends in law enforcement, they will get a good laugh out fo being called to my place for copper theft lol.

Also, you’re over estimating the ethics of scrap yards. I haven’t been there too many times, but every single one of them (except for the one doling out the cash) is one step out of the rehab clinic and/or jail.


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If you have it legally which im sure you do all is well but I've had side jobs where Ive done catalytic converters for people and ive had police at my door for that. I had receipts for the new ones I bought for the people's cars but anything other than scrap steel around here usually gets a call, unless you're a regular there.

Here in NJ you're a criminal until you can prove otherwise.

 

[BigNuge]

Too bad your not closer I could use it for an extension cord.

Lol, what the hell are you looking to run?


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[kaffine]

Lol, what the hell are you looking to run?


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I have a welder that pulls 108A at 240V and a table saw with a 10HP main motor a 1 HP secondary and a 3/4HP feed motor.

Granted I don't have enough skill to use the welder cranked all the way up.

 

[BigNuge]

I have a welder that pulls 108A at 240V and a table saw with a 10HP main motor a 1 HP secondary and a 3/4HP feed motor.

Granted I don't have enough skill to use the welder cranked all the way up.

Ah, got it. That’s a hell of a wood shop!


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[Zeke]

Too bad your not closer I could use it for an extension cord.

My table lamp needs a new cord.

If you have it legally which im sure you do all is well but I've had side jobs where Ive done catalytic converters for people and ive had police at my door for that. I had receipts for the new ones I bought for the people's cars but anything other than scrap steel around here usually gets a call, unless you're a regular there.

Here in NJ you're a criminal until you can prove otherwise.

You might try reading the whole thread before throwing out opinions about theft. He owns the wire.

 

[Joelfke]

My table lamp needs a new cord.



You might try reading the whole thread before throwing out opinions about theft. He owns the wire.

I owned the car parts i scrapped i still had police at my door, I wasnt implying he stole it by any means

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I owned the car parts i scrapped i still had police at my door, I wasnt implying he stole it by any means

Sounds like a police state.

I dont have that problem here

 

[BB Sig]

Sounds like a police state.

I dont have that problem here

Did you see he lives in New Jersey?! LOL!

 

[Joelfke]

Did you see he lives in New Jersey?! LOL!

exactly!

 

[kaffine]

Sounds like a police state.

I dont have that problem here

I was thinking maybe if they did that here they wouldn't of had a big problem of scrappers pulling AC systems off the roofs using a truck and a rope causing huge amounts of damage in the process.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I was thinking maybe if they did that here they wouldn't of had a big problem of scrappers pulling AC systems off the roofs using a truck and a rope causing huge amounts of damage in the process.

by going to someone's house who sold legitimate non-stolen scrap wire? that makes no sense

 

[tfi racing]

What a bunch of Nancy's. I'm sure the OP didn't ask for a mommie knows best babysitter, an ethics lesson or the tactics of your local tax and harass officials, just a guess on the value on a piece of cable. Why can't anyone answer a simple question without pontificating about scorching life on earth as we know it or some BS story about a neighbour that had a pig that turned out to be a chicken,but after all was a giraffe?